Device for loading paper bags and cartons



p 1959 R. F. JOYCE 7 2,902,811

DEVICE FOR LOADING PAPER BAGS AND CARTONS Filed Sept. 26, 1957 5Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. RICHARD F. JOYCE Sept. 8, 1959 R. F. JOYCEDEVICE FOR LOADING PAPER BAGS AND CARTONS s sheets-sheet 2 Filed Sept.26, 1957 INVENTOR. I RICHARD F. JOYCE BY RNEY.

Sept. 8, 1959 R. F. JOYCE DEVICE FOR LOADING PAPER BAGS AND CARTONSFiled Sept. 26, 1957 5,Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. RlCHARD F. JOYCE BY WATTORNEY.

Sept. 8, 1959 R. F. JOYCE DEVICE FOR LOADING PAPER BAGS AND CARTONSFiled Sept. 26, 1957 s sheets-sheet 4 m M TJ m. I W D I R A H w R Y B vO 2 ATTORNEY.

Sept. 8, 1959 R. F. JOYCE 2,902,811

DEVICE FOR LOADING PAPER BAGS AND CARTONS Filed Sept. 26, 1957 5Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. RICHARD F. JOYCE BY W ATT(.)RNEY.

United States Patent DEVICE FOR LOADING PAPER BAGS AND CARTONS RichardF. Joyce, Bradford, Mass.

Application September 26, 1957, Serial No. 686,326

7 Claims. (Cl. 53-384) This invention relates to devices for holdingpaper bags in open position While they are being packed, the device heredisclosed being particularly adapted for use in grocery stores.

One of the major problems in self-service markets is the time requiredto check and pack a customers groceries. Ordinarily the groceries arepacked in large paper bags which are first opened up and set upright onthe counter. If the cashier is working alone he has to ring in thecharges for the various items on the cash register, and then stop andpack the articles, as he needs to use both hands, one to steady the bagand the other to pack the articles. Likewise, if an assistant is doingthe packing, he frequently needs to use one hand to steady the bag.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a holder which willhold one or several paper bags open and support them in a convenientposition for loading, which can be readily moved to various positions.On a counter for use either by the cashier or by one or moreassistants, which can be tilted to various positions for easier loadingand which, after loading, will release the bags in upright position fordelivery to the customer. Another object is to provide a holder which isadaptable for loading cartons as well as bags. Other advantages andnovel features of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription.

In the drawings illustrating the invention:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a check-out counter equipped with a bagloading device constructed according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the counter and loading device;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation, somewhat enlarged, of the loading devicefrom the loading end;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the loading device from the opposite endshowing the holder in position to discharge the filled bags;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-section of the holder taken along line 5-5of Fig. 2;

Figs. 6 and 7 are views similar to Fig. 5, showing the holder adjustedto various angles for convenient loading;

Fig. 8 is a cross-section in the same plane as Fig. 5 but showing theholder in position to discharge the filled bags;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the check-out counter and holder, with theholder in position for loading by the cashier;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the check-out counter and holder with theholder in position for loading by an assistant at the end of thecounter;

Fig. 11 is a plan view of a check-out counter on which the holder isbeing used by the cashier to pack a carton;

Fig. 12 is a plan view similar to Fig. 11 but showing the carton beingpacked by an assistant at the end of the counter; and i Fig. 13 is anenlarged fragmentary cross-section taken along line 13-13 of Fig. 7.

The holder here illustrated is suitable for supporting two bags at onceand has a shell 20 with two curved sections 20a and 20b on which thebags rest sidewise. Disposed across one end of the shell is an end plate21 which is attached to the shell in any convenient manner, for example,by riveting a flange 21a attached to or cast integral with the plate.The bottoms of the bags rest against the end plate and the plate hasaccess openings 22 and 23 to facilitate removal of the bags.

To support the shell, a post 24 is mounted in any convenient manner onthe check-out counter 25. Projecting from the upper end of the post is ashaft 26 on which an arm 27 is journalled to swing in a horizontalplane. A bracket 28 is mounted on the opposite end of the arm, and theshell carries a pair of similar lugs 29 (not shown) and 30 which arejournalled on a hinge pin 31 (Figs. 5-8) so that the shell may swingabout a horizontal axis with respect to the arm. Bracket 28 is mountedto rotate freely about a vertical axis on arm 27.

The forward end of the shell, the right-hand as viewed in Figs. 5through 7, is slotted to receive an arm 33 which is hinged to the shellby means of a pin 34 passing through a lug 35 on the arm and a pair oflugs 36 on the shell, as best shown in Fig. 13. A bent rod 37, mountedon arm 33, supports a yoke 38 on which a pair of curved rods 39 and 40are mounted. Each of the latter is adapted to be inserted in the mouthof one of the paper bags 41 to hold the bags open, as shown in Fig. 5for example.

A link 42 of fixed length is connected to a lug 43 on arm 33 and to alug 44 on bracket 28. A first latch bar 45 is connected to another lug46 on bracket 28, and a second latch bar 47 is connected to a lug 48 onshell 20. Bar 45 carries a strap 49 which passes around bar 4-7, thebars being slidable with respect to one another and pivoted to the shelland bracket 28, respectively, to form a link of adjustable length. Alatch 50 connected to bar 47, engages any one of a number of notches 51in the upper edge of bar 45 to lock the bars in various selectedrespective positions. By means of this adjustable linkage, shell 20 canbe tilted about bracket 28 and locked in various positions. A hand pedal50a, attached to bar 47 may be pushed to rotate bars 45 and 47 withrespect to one another to free latch 50 for adjusting the position ofthe latch, and the parts will fall back to locked position undergravity. For example, in Figs. 5 through 7 the holder is positioned forloading the bags but tilted at diiferent angles to bring the bags orcartons to various heights according to the preference of the user.

In Fig. 8 the shell is shown in nearly upright position, in whichposition the filled bags may be readily removed. The fixed link 42causes arm 33 to rotate clockwise about pin 34 as the shell rotatesabout pin 31. Thus, when the shell is in discharge position, as shown inFig. 8, the rods 39 and 40 have moved out of the mouths of the bags,leaving the bags free for removal from the holder.

The device for loading bags is used in the following manner:

The post 24 is mounted on a counter in the general position shown inFigs. 2, 9 and 10. The counter is preferably provided with bins 68facing the cashier, and bins 61 facing outward from the end for holdingempty bags.

When a cashier is working alone at the check-out counter, the shell 20is swung around so that the mouths of the bags will face the cashier. Apair of bags are opened and placed in the holder with their bottomsagainst plate 21, and their mouths engage over rods 39 and 40. Thecashier may lead items into the bags with one hand while she rings themin on the cash register with the other. The packing and checkingoperations are thus completed simultaneously. Even if the cashierprefers to ring in the item's first and then load the bags, this devicesaves considerable time, because she can use both hands for loadinginstead of having to steady the bag or hold it open with one hand. Thecompound horizontal movement of the shell provided by rotation aboutpost 24 and about bracket 28 allows the shell to be readily pushed to aposition to bring the mouth of each bag within easy reach. When the bagshave been loaded the cashier, by pressing latch 50a, can tilt the shellto discharge position, and the shell can be readily swung to face thecustomer who then takes the filled bags off. It is understood that arm27 is mounted high enough above the counter to permit free horizontalswinging of the holder when the shell is in discharge position.

When a bundle boy is assisting the cashier during busy periods, theshell 20 is swung around so that the mouths of the bags face the end ofthe counter. The boy places bags on the holder and loads them with bothhands, the items being pushed along the counter or carried to him by aconveyor belt of a type commonly employed in self-service markets. Whenthe bags are filled, the shell is tilted to discharge position andturned toward the customer or the assistant, as desired, to permitremoval of the bags.

As the bags are supported along their entire length during loading, theyare less likely to tear than when they are unsupported. Also, the bagsare easier to load when tilted sidewise than when upright. In thedischarge position, the holder remains tilted enough so that the bagsrest against the shell and will not fall oil, but can, nevertheless, bereadily slid off. The user can get his hand under the bottom of the bagsthrough one of the hand holes 22, 23, instead of having to lift the bagsby the sides. The filled bags can thus be removed with a minimum ofeffort and without danger of tearing.

To facilitate loading cartons, this device has a pair of rods 71 and 72which are mounted to swing in a plate 70 centrally secured to shell 20by means of screws 77 and 78. The plate 70 also carries a number ofprojections 73, 74, 75 and 76 which serve as stops. When rods 71 and 72are swung against stops 74 and 75, the rods are out of the way forloading a pair of bags. When swung out against stops 73 and 76, rods 71and 72 are in position to support the bottom of a carton. Preferably theholder is placed in an intermediate tilted position, as shown in Fig. 7,for example, and one side of the carton rests against plate 21. When thecarton is to be loaded by the cashier, the holder is disposed with endplate 21 toward the cashiers position so that the open top of the cartonis disposed in a position sloping downward toward the cashier forconvenient loading. When the carton is to be loaded by someone at theend ,of the counter, the holder is swung so that plate 21 faces the endposition. As the bottom of the carton is raised somewhat above thecurved portions 20a and 2% by rods 71 and 72, the packer may readilyinsert his hands under the carton to lift it oif when it has beenpacked.

This holder and the supporting parts can be made in various proportionsto suit particular installations and lends itself readily to a varietyof counter lay-outs and methods of operation.

What is claimed is:

l. A bag loading device comprising an arm, means for supporting said armto swing in a substantially horizontal plane, a bag holder adapted toengage one side and the bottom of a bag, said holder being mounted onsaid arm and tiltable with respect thereto between a bag loadingposition and a bag discharge position, a bag opener member disposed toengage the mouth of a bag disposed on said holder when the holder is insaid loading position, and a linkage connected to said opener member andadapted to move the opener out of the mouth of the bag when the holderis tilted to said discharge position.

2. A bag loading device comprising an arm, means for supporting said armto swing in a substantially horizontal plane, a bracket mounted on saidarm, a bag holder having an arcuate portion adapted to engage the sideof a bag and an end plate adapted to engage the bottom of a bag, saidholder being mounted on said bracket and tiltable with respect theretoabout a substantially horizontal axis, a pair of link members, oneconnected to said bracket and the other to said holder, said membersbeing longitudinally slidable with respect to each other to tilt saidholder to various positions, and a latch member mounted on one of saidlink members and engageable with the other link member to lock saidholder in a plurality of selected positions.

3. A bag loading device as described in claim 2, said bracket beingrotatable with respect to said arm about a substantially vertical axis.

4. A bag loading device comprising an arm, means for supporting said armto swing in a substantially horizontal plane, a bracket mounted on saidarm, a bag holder having an arcuate portion adapted to engage the sideof a bag and an end plate adapted to engage the bottom of a bag, saidholder being mounted on said bracket and tiltable with respect theretoabout a substantially horizontal axis, a bag opener member hinged tosaid holder and adapted to engage the mouth of a bag disposed in saidholder, a first link of fixed length connected to said opener member andto said bracket, a second link connected to said holder and to saidbracket, and means for varying the length of said second link so as totilt said holder from a bag loading to a bag discharging position, saidfirst link being adapted to move said opener member out of the mouth ofthe bag when said holder is tilted to said discharge position.

5. A bag loading device comprising a vertical post, an arm having afirst end mounted on said post and a second end, the arm beinghorizontally swingable about said post, a bracket mounted on said secondend and swingable with respect to said arm about a substantiallyvertical axis, a bag holder having a pair of arcuate sections, eachadapted to engage the side of a bag and an end plate adapted to engagethe bottoms of bags disposed in said sections, a yoke hinged centrallyon said holder opposite said end plates, a pair of curved rods extendingfrom said yoke and each adapted to engage the mouth of a 'bag disposedin one of said sections, a first link of fixed length connected to saidyoke and to said bracket, a second link connected to said holder and tosaid bracket, and means for varying the length of said second link so asto tilt said holder from a bag loading to a bag discharging position,said first link being adapted to move said rods out of the mouth of thebags when said holder is tilted to said discharge position.

6. A bag loading device as described in claim 4, said second. linkincluding a latch member adapted to lock the link, and thereby theholder, in various selected positions.

7. A bag and carton loading device comprising an arm, means forsupporting said arm to swing in a substantially horizontal plane, a bagholder tiltably mounted on said arm and having a pair of arcuateportions disposed to hold two bags side by side, and a pair of cartonsupporting members mounted on said holder and swingable thereon to aposition to overlie said arcuate portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS939,978 Champ Nov. 16, 1909

